


In the Calm After the Storm

by dramatic owl (snarky_panda)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Brief Appearance by Katara, Friendship, Gen, Genocide Reference, Missing Scene, Present Tense, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28900116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarky_panda/pseuds/dramatic%20owl
Summary: Zuko and Aang in the aftermath of Sozin’s Comet.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45
Collections: Gen Prompt Bingo Round 19





	In the Calm After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the genprompt_bingo challenge for the prompt: trauma.

After the Agni Kai, after Katara has defeated Azula and healed his wound, after a couple of the Fire Sages – who only emerge from hiding once the Agni Kai has ended – take away his sister, who shrieks and sobs in anguish, Zuko stands with Katara in the courtyard, waiting and worrying.

Katara’s hand is at his elbow. She’s frowning at him in concern and she wants to draw him inside.

“It’s still going to take a few days and more healing sessions before you’re completely recovered. You should rest until they get here. It may take them a while.”

Zuko shakes his head. Though the burning pain of his wound isn’t completely gone, it has receded. Katara is as gifted at healing as she is at fighting. Anyway, before he can even think about rest, he needs to know that Aang has won, that he’s taken out his father. If he hasn’t, resting will be the least of his problems.

His stomach is clenched into knots. It’s difficult for him to have Katara’s faith in Aang. The last time he saw the boy, before he ran off and disappeared, Aang was talking in earnest about gluing his father’s arms and legs together so he couldn’t bend anymore.

It seems like an eternity before they hear the sound of a single airship, and longer before the others finally appear in the coronation plaza. When he sees Aang, he quietly hisses out the breath he’s been unconsciously holding. Katara rushes over to help her brother. Sokka hobbles on makeshift crutches, one leg bandaged, and he’s flanked on either side by Suki and Toph. Zuko is grateful to see all of them, but as they approach, his eyes are fixed only on Aang, who is dragging someone along with him. His blood runs cold when he sees that it’s his father, _alive_.

A wave of dizziness hits him. Everything around him fades and he only sees Ozai, crouched on the ground a few feet away from him, hands bound behind him with cuffs made of rock. His head is bent forward, almost touching the ground, and his loose hair hangs in a curtain over his face. He’s conscious but his body seems almost boneless.

Zuko turns away in disgust, though he’s not sure if it’s with his father, with Aang for not ending him, or with himself. He’s lightheaded and nauseous. He concentrates on the glowing arrow on Aang’s forehead and breathes. Aang is speaking to the Fire Sages who have remained, in a voice that isn’t his alone, but a unison chorus of many voices, male and female. The words are archaic, ancient, and when they end, Ozai is taken away to prison and Zuko is now the Regent Fire Lord, to be crowned officially in two weeks.

He manages to remain composed while he gives perfunctory orders to the Great Sage. He’ll be swamped tomorrow and the rest of the week, spending the day signing written orders. Ending the fighting is the priority. Withdrawing the Fire Nation military from all corners of the world and hammering out treaties will be a long and messy process, but for now they need to know that the war is over, that the attacks and fighting are to cease immediately, and that it’s time to return home. The fires have been put out, but repairs will need to be implemented on the surrounding buildings that he and Azula damaged during their comet-enhanced Agni Kai. Announcements and invitations to the coronation are to be sent. Though ruling won’t be easy, he’s been preparing for this, for his throne. The Great Sage is already looking him up and down, appraising him with a practiced eye and working out logistics.

The immediate release of all prisoners of war and political prisoners is another priority, and he’s specifically ordered the release of Shyu, the sage who’d remained loyal to the Avatar and helped Aang at Roku’s temple, by morning, if he's still alive. It’s too much to hope that Mai is still alive and at the Boiling Rock where he’d left her after she saved his life. Nothing less than her death would’ve satisfied Azula. His heart hurts when he thinks of her, but he pushes those thoughts aside for later, when he can be alone.

After the Great Sage leaves to carry out his instructions, Zuko pins Aang with a glare and clenches his fists tighter. He opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again, but he’s unable to articulate what he wants to say. Weariness is painted across Aang’s features. He’s barefoot and bare-chested, and he has bruises and bleeding cuts in several places. Every piece of his orange and yellow Air Nomad clothing is gone, and he wears only the brown pants from the Fire Nation school uniform he’d pilfered.

“How?” is all he finally manages to rasp out.

Zuko is relieved that Aang has returned victorious and safe, but the reality that his father still lives has left him shaken to the core. Dread presses down on his chest like a heavy stone and he feels sick. He’d been sure there was only one way Aang could’ve possibly stopped his father and ended the war, and though he doesn’t understand why, a part of him wants to lash out.

“I took away his firebending.”

Aang seems so matter-of-fact when he explains. Zuko stares in disbelief.

“He can’t use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again.”

Zuko’s knees buckle and the last thing he’s conscious of, aside from the feeling of free fall, is Toph’s voice yelling for someone to catch him.

~

Aang’s words ring in Zuko’s head the moment he awakens. His awareness of his surroundings slowly returns when he feels himself being jostled, and his eyes flutter open. He’s still in the plaza, on the ground and half sitting up. Aang and Katara are supporting him on either side.

“He just fainted, but I told him he needed rest,” she’s fussing on his right, deeply upset. “Azula shot him with lightning. He could’ve died.”

“He’s awake!” Aang exclaims. “Zuko!”

Zuko focuses his attention on Aang. “Where?”

“We’re still in the courtyard. We’re taking you—”

“No.” He sounds like a croaking badger frog. “Where did you learn how to take bending away?”

“A giant lion turtle taught me.”

“Lion turtle,” Zuko repeats flatly.

He supposes Aang’s gluebending idea wasn’t so far off, after all.

His temper flares briefly when they help him to standing. He starts to push them away, but finds that he’s still lightheaded and more unsteady on his feet than he expected to be, so he allows them to drape his arms around their shoulders and lead him away.

~

When Zuko wakes again, he’s in his bed. He only vaguely remembers getting here, and it takes a minute before he realizes with a start that he’s comfortably nestled between small warm bodies. Toph is snuggled against his left side, her head pressed into his shoulder. Aang is on his right, head tucked under his arm. _Momo_ is curled up on his right shoulder. He sighs, exasperated, and resigns himself to the fact that he probably won’t be able to move for a while.

They’re in the Fire Nation in late summer. It ought to feel hot and sticky with the two kids and a lemur on top of him, plus the blankets scattered all over the bed, but it doesn’t. He wonders if Aang is using airbending to keep them cool.

Aang stirs against him, raises himself up on an elbow, and peers at him. “Are you feeling better?”

His throat is raw and his stomach feels hollow. He recalls someone holding his head while he threw up at one point.

“You took away his firebending?” Zuko still struggles to believe it. “Permanently?”

He nods solemnly. There’s a haunted look in his grey eyes and Zuko decides not to ask him what he would’ve done if he hadn’t met the lion turtle. He just gives him an answering nod.

Aang settles back down beside him and Zuko lets his eyes drift closed again.

~

The next time Zuko wakes, Aang is gone. It’s dawn and there’s no point in going back to sleep, so he decides to get up and find him. He doesn’t know what he wants to say to him, but he knows he needs to talk to him.

He pushes the blanket off, maneuvers his shoulder out from under Toph, and slowly rolls onto his right side. His wound burns and there’s some stiffness when he presses both hands into the bed to test his weight on them, but the discomfort is tolerable. He carefully pushes himself up and shifts to the edge of the bed, where he can now see the floor.

Even though there are several empty bedrooms in the palace, everyone has decided to camp out in his room. Katara and Suki are asleep on piles of blankets on the floor, Sokka is lying in Suki’s arms with his head on her chest and his broken leg elevated on a stack of pillows. There are still servants in the palace – Azula didn’t banish all of them – but knowing this group, they’d probably ransacked the other bedrooms for this stuff themselves. The only thing missing is the campfire. He isn’t really annoyed, though, and he smiles in spite of himself.

His robe falls open when he stands, revealing the bandage that someone, Katara or maybe the palace physician, wrapped over his right shoulder and around his torso. He pulls it closed and loosely ties the sash around his waist. Then he tiptoes around the group sprawled on the floor, steps out of the room, and creates a small flame in his palm so he can navigate the dim hallways.

He tries the palace stables first. It’s the only place appropriate for a sky bison and he figures that wherever Appa is, that’s where he’ll find Aang. There’s no sign of him there, though, so he heads to the palace gardens next.

Zuko pauses when he glimpses Aang’s outline in the half light. He can’t see his face, but he can tell by his posture that something’s not right. Aang is seated on the grass under the tree by the turtleduck pond, curled up with his knees drawn in to his chin and his arms wrapped around himself. He looks as forlorn as he did that day in the forest, after they broke out of the Pohuai Stronghold, and so young. Sometimes Zuko still can’t believe that the world’s most powerful bender and the little kid with frogs stuffed down his tunic, who asked him if he thought they could be friends, are one person.

Aang shifts as soon as he hears him coming, hastily dragging the back of his hand across his face and unfolding himself. Zuko slowly and carefully lowers himself to the ground beside him and leans back against the trunk of the tree with a grunt, stretching one leg out in front of him.

“You couldn’t sleep either?” Aang says, keeping his face angled away.

“Firebender. It’s dawn.”

“Oh, right. Did you come out here to meditate?”

“I came out here to find you.”

They sit for a long while without talking, watching as streaks of orange and pink begin to appear low on the horizon. It’s pleasant and peaceful in the gardens, and a soft warm breeze ruffles his hair. Momo is out here, too, perched at the edge of the pond and staring at the turtleducks sleeping on the water.

Aang breaks the silence. “Katara told us about the Agni Kai. Thank you.”

He doesn’t say it, but he would’ve done the same for him, for any of them.

“I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t want anything to happen to you either, Zuko.”

Warmth blooms in his chest and a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “What about you? You were pretty cut up when you got back here.”

“Katara bandaged me up after she finished healing you and Sokka.” His smile is hollow when he turns and holds up his arms, showing off the patches of white bandage covering various spots on his arms and bare torso. “I’m great now.”

“Hmm.” He doesn’t look great, but Zuko lets it go. “We’ll have to get you something to wear when we go back inside. You can’t walk around the palace like that.”

Aang looks away and shrugs. Zuko frowns at the slump of his shoulders. He’s seen Aang down, but this is different. There’s a heaviness about him that wasn’t there before.

“I’m sorry about what happened to Azula.”

Zuko winces at the thought of it. “Yeah. Me, too.”

Things weren’t always this way. He has memories of laughing and playing with his little sister when they were kids. She’d always been a conniver, even as a small child, and so good at manipulating people to get her way. But there hadn’t always been venom behind it. That wasn’t there until after they were both firebending and Ozai began to share secrets only with her, to groom her. He’d resented his father’s favoritism towards her, but now he understands that maybe she wasn’t as lucky as he always thought. Anyway, he doesn’t need luck.

Zuko doesn’t realize he’s been speaking out loud until Aang’s voice cuts through his gloomy reverie.

“Sometimes luck can run out.”

He starts and turns to him with a nod. “That’s true.”

“It’s not your fault, you know.”

“I know.” He sighs and absently scrubs a hand across his face. “Maybe if she’d had someone to put her on the right path, the way I did, things would’ve been different. Anyway, I guess I am lucky in a way. I had Uncle. I still have Uncle.”

His family is a mess, but at least he hasn’t destroyed that relationship.

“And you have us. We’re your family now, too.”

Zuko stares open-mouthed at him. Aang’s expression is as kind and guileless as ever. A lump forms in his throat, and he swallows hard and looks away.

“I,” he begins after a long pause, but he doesn’t know how to finish. He huffs out a breath. “Anyway, hopefully she’ll eventually get better, and then maybe…”

He’s thinking about Katara and Sokka now, the way they look after each other and support one another, the way they bicker and tease each other, but it’s not malicious and there’s always love at the heart of it. Things are so different between Azula and him, and after everything that’s happened, he knows they could never be anything like them. But maybe, with time, she’ll find her way, too, and maybe eventually they’ll both find peace. After all, if Avatar Roku is his great grandfather, he’s also Azula’s great grandfather. That legacy is hers, too.

“Avatar Roku is your great grandfather?”

“Yeah. He was my mother’s grandfather.”

Aang’s face lights up and he sits up straighter. “That means we really _are_ family, in a way!”

“I guess.” Zuko smiles, unable to help himself. “In a way.”

They’re both quiet again, watching Momo, who periodically pokes the water and chitters.

“Hey, Zuko.”

“What?”

“We’ll have matching scars now, too.”

Zuko sighs and rolls his eyes. It’s beyond him why Aang would sound so enthusiastic about that. Every time he glimpses the terrible scar on Aang’s back from the lightning wound Azula inflicted – an angry red blemish that mars the flow of the beautiful sky-blue line of the arrow running the length of his spine – he’s consumed with shame and guilt. There’s justice in his getting one to match. Maybe he didn’t give him that mark of violence, but he’d helped to make it happen. If not for Katara’s spirit water, there would be no Avatar and no one would’ve stopped Ozai. There would be no Air Nomads left, not even the last one.

The ramifications of those three words hit him, really hit him, in a way they never have before and for a brief moment he’s dizzy. That Aang can move forward and be so joyful, that he can be so kind and forgiving when he has every reason to want to destroy everyone and everything around him, is astounding.

“Aang. I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t give me the scar.”

“No—”

He cuts himself off and releases a frustrated breath, clenching and unclenching his fists. Aang waits patiently for him to speak his mind. Finding the right words is difficult, but Zuko forces himself to continue, even if it means fumbling his way through. Aang is his friend (at least he thinks they’re friends now, after everything they’ve been through together, and Aang just said they’re family) and he deserves his honesty.

“I thought you didn’t have the guts to take out my father. I thought ending him was the only way to end the war. And maybe a part of me wanted you to take revenge for me, too. I guess I thought it would make things easier. But that was unfair to you. And I know now it would’ve made things worse. It would’ve been the wrong way to begin an era of peace. And I would’ve been ascending to the throne the same way he did.” Zuko sinks back against the tree trunk and closes his eyes for a moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever be completely free of him.”

Silence stretches between them. Zuko frets, wondering if he’s accidentally said the wrong thing.

“I was ready to do it, Zuko.”

He gapes at him. Aang is folded in on himself again, and his voice is so soft, Zuko’s not sure he’s heard right.

“What?”

“I thought I would have to. Before I faced him, I sought advice from four of the past Avatars, hoping one of them would show me another way. But even Avatar Yangchen, who was another Air Nomad, told me I had to do whatever it took to save the world. And I thought then that I had no other choice, that I would have to kill him.” His voice has dropped to almost a whisper. “I was prepared to do whatever it took.”

“Then you met the lion turtle, and you didn’t have to.”

He nods. “I asked it for advice, and it showed me another way. It showed me how to bend energy.”

“I’ve read about lion turtles. I thought they weren’t around anymore.”

“So did I. Turns out there’s at least one left.”

He releases a shuddering breath. Zuko reaches over and places a comforting hand on his back. The enormity of Aang’s loss is unfathomable. He’s just barely beginning to comprehend it, and to grasp the gravity of what Aang killing his father might have meant for both of them.

“I’m glad you found another way. And I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried about you.”

Aang uncoils and flashes him a warm smile.

“Listen, I know I can’t change what happened to the Air Nomads, and I can’t even imagine what it’s like for you. But maybe I can help you bring a part of them back. I can make sure people know the truth, not the propaganda that Sozin and my grandfather and my father spread. Maybe I can help you restore the temples and—I know it won’t be the same—”

He falters, feeling foolish, and retracts his hand. No amount of apologizing will change anything.

“I’d like that,” Aang finally says in a thick voice.

Zuko’s eyes trace the line of the arrow that curves over Aang’s clean-shaven head down to his neck and bare back, and he thinks about the matching arrows that mark his arms and legs and what the tattoos mean. He’ll have to consult the Fire Sages today. Maybe there are old books and scrolls about the Air Nomads in the sages’ archives. The texts are most likely inaccurate propaganda, but at least some of them would have pictures. Maybe, with Aang’s help, those pictures could at least be used as a model, most immediately to make new clothes for him. It isn’t nearly enough, nothing will be enough, but it’s something.

“But I never want to have to do it again, Zuko,” Aang says suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

“What?”

He shifts to face him. “I don’t want you to be angry, but, I don’t want to take Azula’s bending away.”

“Aang, I – what?” he exclaims, flabbergasted. “I didn’t ask – I didn’t even think about asking you to do that.”

“I know,” he answers in a small voice, glancing away.

“Someone else suggested it?”

Aang nods and meets his eyes again. “It was meant to be helpful, for both of us. And I know maybe it would make things easier. But to reach into someone and touch their energy, their spirit, to remove something that’s a part of them. There’s violence in that, too, even if it isn’t killing, and I never want to have to do it to anyone else. Not unless it’s a last resort, like it was with Ozai.”

Zuko closes his eyes and sees his father’s limp, boneless body again. As if the energy has been drained from him and he no longer has the strength to even hold himself up. Doing that to Azula in the condition she’s in will devastate her.

He feels Aang’s hand on his shoulder and opens his eyes.

“I gave him so many chances when I fought him, Zuko. I redirected his lightning the way you showed me. But not at him, even though I could’ve. All my past lives wanted to kill him. When I was in the Avatar state I could feel their fury, too, not just mine.”

“You had every right to be angry.”

“I know.” Aang looks at him with the same haunted expression he’d seen earlier. ”Even after all those chances I gave him, nothing could move him.”

Zuko is speechless for a long time, absorbing it all. He can’t help but wonder what Aang felt when he touched his father’s spirit and bent it to his will. It’s staggering, and it leaves him breathless when he thinks how even though he has all the power in the world, Aang doesn’t want to use it to hurt anyone the way his father did.

He grasps Aang’s trembling shoulders and squeezes them reassuringly. Aang may be the Avatar, but he’s still just a kid, and he has enough pressure on him.

“I’m not angry, Aang. I won’t ask you to do that to Azula, or to anyone else. I promise. Whether or not it ever becomes necessary will be your decision. Okay?”

Aang’s shoulders settle as the tension leaches out of his body and his smile is easier.

Zuko releases him. “Come on. Let’s go inside. Everyone will be looking for us soon, and there’s a lot of work to do.”

“Katara’s probably gonna insist you work from bed—”

“And I won’t argue with her. But I want to get you fitted today, and I’m going to need your guidance.”

Shifting from sitting to standing is a struggle and he groans involuntarily at the flash of pain in his core. Aang rises to help, hopping up on a cushion of air and landing softly in front of him, and keeps a supportive arm around him even after he’s on his feet.

“Fitted for what?”

“I know you might not want to wear Fire Nation clothes, but it will only be temporary. We’re going to get new Air Nomad clothes made for you.”

“You’re making new clothes for me?”

Warmth spreads through him and he smiles, pleased when he sees how surprised and touched Aang looks. Zuko slips his arm around him and starts to lead him inside. Momo follows and flies circles around both of them before landing on Aang’s shoulder.

“Well, we’re going to be working together to restore balance and peace to the world, and I want the Avatar by my side at my coronation. It’s only right that you appear dressed in the robes of an airbending master.”


End file.
